While he may have just fallen short of forcing his way into the playoff at TPC River Highlands, Collin Morikawa was unquestionably the star of the show on Sunday at the Travelers Championship.
Morikawa fired a stunning 61 in the final round at the last signature event of the season. The score moved him 11 places up the leaderboard, leaving him just one shot behind Scottie Scheffler and Viktor Hovland.
Hovland’s victory over Scheffler confirmed that something is not quite right with the world number one this season. He has finished second on four occasions in 2026 and has not won again since his first start of the year.
There is, therefore, an opportunity for someone to snatch the Claret Jug from Scheffler’s grasp next month at Royal Birkdale.
And there is potentially no one better placed than Collin Morikawa to do exactly that.
Collin Morikawa has arguably had a better season than Scottie Scheffler
There is an argument to be made that Morikawa has had a better year than Scheffler.
Scheffler’s consistency has been frightening. However, Morikawa’s victory at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am was more significant than his countryman clinching The American Express.
Meanwhile, Morikawa is just three top 10s behind Scheffler this year. When you consider that the two-time major champion sustained a back injury at The Players Championship, that is hugely impressive.
Morikawa is still dealing with the effects of that back injury. But he has finished inside the top 20 at both the US Open and the Travelers Championship this month.
The statistics that show that Collin Morikawa is ready to win The Open Championship for a second time
Morikawa is now first on the PGA Tour for strokes gained approach this season.
Of course, he has been an outstanding iron player for the majority of his career. However, he has not finished first for strokes gained approach since the 2020/21 season.
That was, as it turns out, the season Morikawa lifted the Claret Jug at Royal St George’s.
Data Golf also paints the picture of a player who is hitting form at the perfect time.
Morikawa gained more shots with his approach play at TPC River Highlands than he has at any tournament since his victory at Pebble Beach.
Meanwhile, it was his best performance off the tee this year. Admittedly, he has had plenty of success off the tee at the Travelers over the seasons.
Crucially, he has also gained on the field with the putter in his hands in his last four tournaments, including at the PGA Championship and the US Open.
Royal Birkdale could suit Morikawa
Morikawa was not in the field when The Open Championship was previously held at Royal Birkdale. However, the Southport venue is generally one of the shorter courses on the rota.
That should help Morikawa, given that he averages less than 305 yards off the tee this season.
The back injury may have proven to have been a blessing in disguise for Morikawa. With expectations lowered, he has gone under the radar with a fantastic year.
But he is also getting a number of outstanding results.
Perhaps the best result of Morikawa’s 2026 is just around the corner.
